| Achong Tanjong |
MEMBERS of the Legislative Council (LegCo) made a working visit to the Land Transport Department (JPD) headquarters in Beribi, Jalan Gadong yesterday.
The delegation was led by Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Pendikar Alam Dato Paduka Seri Haji Hasrin bin Dato Paduka Haji Sabtu.
The purpose of the visit was for the LegCo members to more closely observe the department’s various functions and services offered to the public, and to familiarise themselves with issues encountered in the country’s land transportation projects as preparation for their meeting with the Ministry of Communications on November 26.
Among the agenda of the visit is for the members to view an exhibition on the public transportation enhancement system and how it increases connectivity with the introduction of additional routes and bus-hailing points, in a bid to stimulate an increase in public productivity and economic growth.
The Ministry of Communications through the JPD is in the process of bidding for several key processes under the public transportation system project, which is expected to be implemented by the second quarter of 2019.
The delegation also tried out the DART app, a service introduced in an effort to increase public mobility and provide Bruneians an alternative income source, reduce unemployment, and increase usage in the latest ICT products/services in the country.
Discussions were also held on the National Road Safety Council’s aspirations of increasing safety on the country’s roads. Efforts to do so include holding religious events and roadshows promoting safety awareness among the community.
The LegCo members then proceeded to view the counter services on the ground floor, such as the counters for the application for new licence numbers of new vehicles and for the renewal of vehicle licences, as well as the counter for driving licence renewal, before stopping by the Vehicle Inspection Centre.
At present, the centre only provides inspection services for government vehicles (BG licence plate) and engines, and processes change of vehicle ownership, change of vehicle registration number, and change of vehicle colour.
The group ended their working visit at the Bayu Ilham Motors Sdn Bhd Vehicle Inspection Station located at Jalan Bengkurong Masin in Kampong Bengkurong, which does inspections for private vehicles seven years old and above as well as commercial vehicles.